The cross-referenced applications filed Aug. 16, 2001, particularly the one entitled INK CARTRIDGE WITH INTERNAL INK BAG AND METHOD OF FILLING, disclose a method of filling an ink supply bag for an ink cartridge.
According to the disclosed method, the air inside an empty bag is exhausted from the bag. Then, the bag is placed in one of a pair of housing halves, and the other housing half is connected to the one with the bag to form the cartridge housing.
A snout having an ink flow opening that is plugged by a rubber septum is attached to the bag and protrudes from a bottom opening in the cartridge housing. To fill the bag with a liquid ink, the discharge end portion of a liquid injection needle is forced through the septum and into the bag. The cartridge housing with the bag is laid on one side and the liquid ink is pumped through the needle into the bag. Once the bag is filled to its capacity, the cartridge housing is positioned erect with the snout facing upward, i.e. bottom end up, to allow any bubbles that might be in the liquid ink to rise to the liquid surface. Then, the residual air is removed from the bag by applying a vacuum through the needle, and the needle is removed from the septum.